BMW GS Trophy UK Qualifier 2015

This weekend gone I took part in the GS Trophy UK Qualifier 2015 which took place in the beautiful Brecon Beacons in Wales. I was invited to join along with 8 other customers and Tom, Lottie and James from BMW Park Lane, split into 3 teams of which I was part of ‘Team Tom’.

Ready to go!

We met on Saturday at BMW Park Lane before filtering through the bank holiday weekend traffic out of London at midday, and down the fast but rather soulless M4 motorway towards Wales. After crossing over the gorgeous mile-long Severn Bridge we rode into the Welsh countryside to the registration at the Ancient Briton pub in Pen-y-cae, before riding to Swansea to our hotel.

Parked up at the hotel in Swansea

On Sunday morning after an early breakfast we had a sprightly ride, led by Lottie from Park Lane, through the mist and fog back to the Ancient Briton to start the challenges. My team included Tom (from BMW Park Lane) and Kamal (with his broken toe) on their R1200GS Adventures and Alex on his F800GS. Our team was due to set off at 9:48 and 30 seconds. While we were waiting, there were a few rain showers but by the time we departed, these had subsided to a few spells of drizzle.

Misty morning

The directions for the challenges were printed with distances between visual points, which meant our GPSs were of little help—for example, turn left and go to the 2nd cattle grid etc. The complete route was about 90 miles. Some of the challenges were simple questions relating to landmarks or signs at each destination, and others included a fitness challenge, a mechanical challenge and several off road challenges.

Ready to leave after completing the fitness challenge

For the fitness challenge we had a choice of riding a pushbike up a hill and back, carrying tyres up a hill and stacking them, or running to the river to fill a cup and bring it back—each was timed and taking too long resulted in negative points. I did the cup challenge within the allocated time.

My only mishap of the day happened then—I got on my bike and put up the side stand, then realised I needed something out of the top box. Of course I absentmindedly got off the bike without putting the side stand back down, so my bike went onto its side. Nothing happened to the bike and I sustained, somehow, my only ‘injury’ of the day—a tiny blood blister on my middle finger. No paramedics required.

Sheep... disturbing

We carried on through twisty forest roads and misty dales, stopping only for a herd of sheep to pass, each giving us the evil eye, and to answer a couple more challenge questions.

Rolling hills—still misty

A panoramic shot of the dales

Quick photo opportunity

Finding out the answer to one of the questions

Next up was the mechanical challenge where there was a choice of changing a tyre (to be clear, using tyre levers to remove it from the wheel and put it back on), an apparently impossible diagnosis challenge (so we heard) and a loading challenge which we did in pairs. This involved picking up an F800GS, loading it into a trailer and securing it with tie straps. I did the challenge with Kamal and it went well, except we didn’t have the bike tied tightly enough so we each earned a negative point.

We went on to the off road challenge which took place at the 4,000 acre Walters Arena Enduro Park. As with the other challenges, there were a number from which to choose, each carried out on one of BMW’s own bikes (not our own). We each were required to take part in 5 challenges and I did the following:

• Accelerate hard on loose gravel between two cones, then skid with the back brake only as far as possible (F800GS)—I made it to the ‘1’ marker which meant 1 negative point (the worst possible was 5)
• Run to a bike, start it and get it through the cones within 11 seconds on loose gravel (F800GS)—I wasn’t given a time but I did it in less than 11 seconds so no negative points
• Ride through a tight slalom/figure-of-8 course on loose gravel (R1200GS) within 44 seconds—no problems, apart from the fact I took 75 seconds which earned me 3 negative points
• Ride a rut course (R1200GS)—I took it slow and made it through without any problems, although I had a slightly panicked moment when I slipped on mud after the exit cone, nearly dropping the bike, but no negative points!
• Tow a bike up a hill and back down, using a tow rope (G650GS x2)—we split into pairs for this and Alex towed me, although while turning around at the top I ended up having the tow rope pull the bike over onto its side, but no negative points

Tom and Kamal’s towing challenge is worth a mention as ‘the most exciting tow of the day’ when the tow rope pulled out and wrapped around the front wheel of the towed bike.

Other challenges included 5 laps of the enduro track (which Tom did), a navigation challenge, hill climbing on mud, riding rocks, a difficult momentum challenge (which Tom very bravely did), jousting (which looked rather difficult), riding electric bikes around a track, and a bike pushing challenge.

Most of the off road challenges were fairly difficult (not carefree byway riding) but great fun, although we made a fatal error of spending far too much time at Walters Arena.

Walters Arena where the gravel challenges took place—finally some blue sky!

Riding the ruts challenge!

On our way to the next challenge we came across the only (known) incident of the day—the lead rider of one of the other teams had slammed on the brakes to turn onto a hard-to-see road and the rider behind had gone into the back of him, rendering both bikes unrideable. Fortunately they were not injured, but there were police and an ambulance in attendance.

We stopped for a much needed bite to eat at a pub, each of us having, of course, Welsh lamb with all the trimmings. Refuelled we carried on.

More sun, more dales... can’t get enough of the views here!

...and a perfect photo opportunity for Team Tom—Kamal, me, Tom and Alex

A brief stop to take in the amazing view

Somehow we couldn’t find the answer to one of the challenge questions—we were meant to find a bridge with trolls underneath but saw nothing of the sort. Tom rode back to double check but still was unable to find the bridge.

Waiting for Tom to return from the bridges

The next top was at a coffee shop in the town of Brecon before carrying on to Merthyr Cynog to get the number from a telephone box and answer a couple more challenge questions.

Parked near the coffee shop in Brecon

Waiting....

Friendly dog in Merthyr Cynog

From Merthyr Cynog we got lost and circled back before realising we’d been on the correct road the whole time. This let out onto some fast roads to a stunning viewpoint between Cray and Penwyllt.

Panoramic shot of the viewpoint

Cray Reservoir

Starting to feel tired

Our final challenge was the Absolute Adventure Challenge. Sadly when we arrived there was no one there as we were nearly 3 hours past the time limit. Unfortunately this meant we were effectively disqualified from the GS Trophy so we carried on back to the Ancient Briton pub to hand in our late scorecards and take a photo at the finish line.

Team Tom makes it to the finish line (3 hours late)—no reason not to smile!

Highlights of the day? The scenery and roads were amazing and we all had great fun doing the route, even if we took far too long to complete it. Some of the lanes required a degree of precise riding to avoid the moss, sand or mud between the tyre tracks but this kept things interesting. There was such a sense of wellbeing riding around the Welsh countryside. This was my first time to Wales (apart from a half day in Cardiff in 2005) and I wish I had gone long before now.

There were a few more, of course. Having my bike over because I forgot to put down the side stand. Tom getting stuck on the momentum course (lost Oakleys probably shouldn’t be mentioned). Alex setting a new performance standard for the F800GS, never trailing behind despite having two-thirds the power of our 1200s. And Kamal giving the R1200GS’s rev limiter a thorough test after coming off the bike during the slalom course.

We headed back to Swansea for dinner and a much needed sleep. The next morning I left earlier than some of the others in an attempt to beat the bank holiday weekend traffic returning to London. I had a relaxing, uneventful ride back and was home in the early afternoon.

The GS Trophy made me realise a couple things about myself. I was very happy to find that I had no trouble keeping up with fast riders on twisty roads, even though my everyday riding style is much more laid back. And I’m very comfortable navigating byways on my own, at my own pace, on dirt, mud or gravel—but doing off road challenges in a competitive environment made my confidence all but disappear. But most of all, I had a great time, with some great people, pushing myself beyond my day-to-day experiences.

Were you at the GS Trophy this year? I would love to hear your experience in the comments below.

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Riding off the tarmac

Today I went to the byways for a bit of off-the-tarmac riding and to bring Zev along so he could collect a few nettle plants for his garden. Usually I go alone if I’m riding in the dirt as 2-up riding can be slightly hairy on loose, slippery or rutted surfaces. I seized the opportunity to have Zev take a few video clips.

I believe off-road experience allows a rider to really learn about the handling characteristics of a bike and understand how it behaves when it breaks traction. This understanding translates to a more relaxed rider on paved roads, especially in less than ideal conditions, enabling the rider to react naturally if the bikes slips unexpectedly, instead of panicking and stiffening up which will usually end in tears.

Unfortunately, many dual-sport bikes are sold more for posing duty than for their off-road capabilities (much like Land Rovers and the like), but I say these riders are missing out some of the most pleasurable riding—being able to access the lesser travelled roads in safety and relative comfort.

Indeed, most dual-sport bikes come with glorified road tyres from the factory, some with a no cost option of more knobbly tyres. My F800GS came with Pirelli Scorpion Trails, not a bad tyre on the road, but next to useless in anything slippery. For anyone intending to do much off-road riding, the right tyres are a must. I use Heidenau K60 Scouts on my F800GS which provide a good blend of on- and off-road grip.

First up, a ride-by on a section of byway with a pull-out:



For those who don’t do much riding off the tarmac, the thought of doing so can be daunting, but it is possible to safely maintain a decent speed even on loose surfaces like gravel and dirt. The bike is more stable with the rider’s bottom off the seat (practice those squats!), as this lowers the centre of gravity to the foot pegs and allows the bike to glide over bumps without throwing around the rider. In the clip above I’m doing roughly 30 mph and the bike is completely stable. It is key to keep a relaxed grip on the handlebars to allow the front wheel to move around naturally—too firm a grip can cause the bike to destabilise and lose control. Remember—the bike wants to stay upright when the wheels are turning, all by itself, so don’t fight against what it wants to do.

The next video shows brisk acceleration on a loose surface:



The bike has a tendency to wiggle at the back as the rear tyre spins faster than the speed of the bike, but again, keeping a relaxed grip on the handlebars allows the bike to track naturally—in this situation, a panicked ‘death grip’ could end up with the bike trying to come around on itself, unceremoniously ejecting the rider. Let’s see that in slo-mo:



In slo-mo you can clearly see the front lift (that’s why we keep a relaxed grip on the handlebars) and the rear wheel spinning. The wiggling of the back of the bike is due to the spinning wheel taking the path of least resistance and following any ruts/imperfections on the road surface.

Next up, why (standard) ABS isn’t good on loose surfaces (I neglected to deactivate the system):



In this clip you can see (and hear) the ABS preventing the wheels from locking. My F800GS has standard ABS which is designed to prevent the wheels locking on slippery asphalt road surfaces. On loose surfaces the system is out of its depth, fully activating the system which makes stopping distances much longer. The bike has a switch to deactivate the ABS when riding off the tarmac as some locking/skidding is required to stop quickly and effectively on loose surfaces. The ABS in slo-mo:



The F800GS’s ABS system is so quick there is no perceptible stopping of either wheel, even in slo-mo, but the bike doesn’t stop very quickly. Newer models such as the F800GS Adventure and the R1200GS have off-road ABS modes (Enduro on both, and Enduro Pro additionally on the R1200GS) which allows for varying degrees of lock-up between each pulse of the system—maintaining enough rotation for the bike to stay upright, but enough lock to stop effectively on loose surfaces. The Enduro Pro mode on the R1200GS (which is designed to be used with knobbly off-road tyres) only activates on the front wheel, allowing the rear wheel to be fully locked for cornering techniques.

Finally, 2-up riding off road:



The byway in this clip is quite steep at the beginning but the surface is fairly good apart from some light ruts. At the top of the hill, the roadway becomes angled which presents more of a challenge on a bike (being a single-track vehicle), as it wants to settle at the lowest point due to gravity and the gyroscopic effect of the wheels turning.

When travelling 2-up it is even more important to be aware of bumps, rocks or ruts, as the bike will be far less forgiving, and the suspension will be taxed with the extra weight. Also, it is impossible for both the rider and pillion to stand on the pegs meaning their weight acts as a deadweight and it is quite easy to bottom out the suspension (not a good thing as components can bend). Keeping the speed low, consistent and smooth will keep both the bike and the rider/pillion much happier.

Any thoughts to add or experiences of your own? Let me know in the comments below.

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A vicarious first look: 2015 Fiat Panda 4x4

After a bit of a hiatus confronting a few demons in my life I’m back and feeling inspired. In this post I will be exploring adventuring of the four-wheeled variety vicariously through the eyes of one of my closest friends Federico (Fed), a photographer and designer who lives near Milan, Italy.

Fed has had his fair share of adventure travel himself, with excursions across northern Africa, around Turkey and beyond. These adventures have been of Land Rover pedigree—the most cultured variety, of course, the age-old and immensely capable Defender, definitely not one of the usual footballer’s (wives’) Range Rovers.

Fed takes to the northern Italian fields in the Defender

The tiny Fiat Panda 4x4 is, on the surface, a city car with a four wheel drive system crowbarred into its tiny chassis—but it is also a car with a quiet heritage of its own. It debuted to great success in 1980 with the 4x4 version following in 1983, unique because it was the first vehicle of its type on the market—a tiny, inexpensive, four-wheel-drive vehicle with raised suspension which made the small Suzuki Samurai seem bloated and heavy. It was instantly popular in rural, mountainous areas where its small size and sturdy chassis made it invaluable to farmers who needed to reach fields otherwise inaccessible with larger, expensive SUVs—or indeed to get to town on snow-covered, steep mountain roads in the wintertime.

Fast-forward 30-odd years and the latest Panda 4x4, now in its third generation, is in a different league from the crude but sturdy original. It is built on the Fiat Mini platform which is shared with the Fiat 500, Lancia Ypsilon and Ford Ka—all cars noted for being safe for their class, strong and fun to drive.

Fed’s new Panda 4x4 with the 85 hp/145 N·m TwinAir turbocharged petrol engine arrived yesterday, fresh out of the factory in Pomigliano d'Arco just hours away from his home near Milan. It is a fully kitted-out model, the only option of note excluded being the City Brake Control system which automatically stops the car if it senses an imminent collision at speeds between 5 and 30 km/hr. He chose the muted solid (non-metallic) cappuccino paintwork colour because he wanted the car to blend into its environment, not stand out—this car will be seeing quite a lot of field road and off-road duty during its life.

The Panda replaces his previous everyday car, a Fiat Punto. During Fed’s maiden journey, I took notes of his first impressions thanks to VoIP technology (aka handsfree FaceTime Audio).

So why is he so excited about this small, inexpensive car?

Tall but small with rounded-square (or ‘squircle’) design themes throughout—the Panda’s chunky design stands out against the usual suspects in the city car category

Raised suspension means plenty of ground clearance for rough terrian

Fed rang me as he walked out to the car for the first time around 11 at night. Approaching, he noted in flawless English and his slightly Nordic-sounding accent: “It’s so small! I love the design, every detail is considered—it looks beautiful.”

After unlocking the car with the remote, he got in (it’s important to note Fed is certainly not one of the vertically challenged, standing at 6’2”): “You step up into this car, it’s tall. There is far more room than expected inside. The seat feels very comfortable and you sit high up—almost like sitting on the car instead of in it, like a proper 4x4. The [leather] steering wheel feels very nice in hand—the shape isn’t quite round, but slightly squared off.”

There were a few less enthusiastic comments: “The headrests are typical Fiat—rock hard plastic. When the seat is in the correct position for me to use the pedals, the steering wheel is a little bit far away, and it only adjusts for rake, not for reach. It’s not too bad, but will take a little time to get used to.”

Starting up the Panda, Fed commented: “The [2-cylinder TwinAir] engine is very quiet and has a pleasant sound. The instrument panel looks beautiful but it isn’t as easy to read as the [previous] Punto. There are plenty of toys [buttons, onboard computer etc] to play with!”

Getting underway he said: “Wow, it’s much quicker than I expected—acceleration feels very alive. The engine is so smooth and refined and has such a nice sound. At half throttle it feels quicker than the Punto felt at full throttle. There is a lot of torque which makes the car relaxed to drive. The gearbox feels solid and precise.”

Once on some country roads Fed noted: “The steering isn’t as quick as the Punto and there is more body roll in the corners. The seats don’t have too much [lateral] support for hard cornering but the car isn’t intended for this anyway—the steering is slightly imprecise in the corners.

“The ride is beautiful, this car has a real sense of comfort. The suspension is more supple than [his dad’s] Mercedes-Benz E-Class. The visibility is much better than the Punto.”

Back home he had another look around: “The boot [trunk] is huge for such a small car. But the rear seat is tight—I don’t fit with the front seat in position for me to drive.”

Fed says good night to the Panda after their first bonding experience

I caught up with Fed today after he’d driven the Panda into Milan and back. One day on, he had a couple more notes: “I’ve been using the Eco button [which reduces power and torque to reduce fuel consumption] and the difference in performance is minimal in city traffic. I only have one real complaint about it—the upper dashboard reflects on the windscreen in the daytime.”

I suggested that Fed give it a couple days—the car is brand new and everything is still spotless and shining. Once a layer of dust settles on it (which will take no time in Italy) the reflection should reduce.

The Panda’s first time off-road :-)

Can someone accustomed to the king of off-road vehicles—the Land Rover Defender—really be satisfied with something so far at the other end of the scale? That gap may be smaller than it seems. In 2013 two Britons broke the world record for overlanding from Cape Town to London in a Panda 4x4 by a whole day—a record which was previously held, ironically, by a Defender (read about it here).

One thing in particular that Fed is excited about is the Panda’s tiny size and low weight, which enables it to go places the large and heavy Land Rover would have no hope in fitting. He is looking forward to experimenting with the Panda’s four-wheel-drive system—this includes an automatically actuated electronically coupling centre differential with a button for the driver to electronically simulate locking differentials (using the braking system) to transfer torque from wheels without grip to those with grip. A clever use of technology to keep costs (and weight) down.

I am looking forward to my next visit so Fed can take me around some rural areas and show me what the Panda can do.

Fed summarised his first 24 hours with the Panda by simply saying: “I have fallen in love with this car!”

2015 Fiat Panda 4x4 key specifications

Engine

875cc inline 2-cylinder with turbocharger

85 hp/145 N·m

Transmission

6-speed gearbox + reverse

4x4 with automatic engagement

Suspension

Front: Independent MacPherson struts

Rear: Semi-independent torsion beam

Brakes

Front: Ventilated discs, 257 mm

Rear: Solid discs, 240 mm

Wheels/tyres

15” alloy
175/65 R15 M+S

Dimensions

Length: 3,686 mm

Width: 1,672 mm

Height: 1,605 mm

Weight

1,125kg

Performance

0–100 km/hr (62 mph): 12.1s

Maximum speed: 103 mph (166 km/hr)

Consumption

Urban: 47.9 mpg (5.9 l/100 km)

Extra-urban: 65.7 mpg (4.3 l/100 km)

Combined: 57.6 mpg (4.7 l/100 km)

Emissions

114g CO2/km

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Depression, anxiety and self image... why do we do it to ourselves?

I’ll get straight to the point—I’ve been going through a rough patch. In brief, my last remaining grandparent, my maternal grandmother, is quickly reaching the end of her life. Combined with a very busy and stressful time at work at the moment, this has caused me to re-evaluate my own life—doing so has caused depression and anxiety (D&A) to bubble up after so many successfully years of keeping it under the surface. This has caused some apathy and a loss of focus on the things I normally love doing, such as motorbiking and keeping my blog regularly updated.

Many (and I will boldly say the majority of) people suffer D&A to varying degrees. I believe genetics play a part in being prone to D&A, as I can trace it up my family tree on my mum’s side. Because D&A is an ‘invisible’ illness, there is a stigma associated, and I feel the need to share what it’s like, from my perspective, to live with this, in the hopes that it will be of value to someone else. Doing so makes me feel exposed and somewhat vulnerable, but the stigma needs to be broken one person at a time.

In my own words:

• Depression: When you don’t care about anything.
• Anxiety: When you care too much about everything.

Like many people, for me these come as an ironic, vicious circle of a package. D&A leaves me conflicted—getting into a rut means I start worrying that I don’t care about anything, escalating into my mind running a million miles an hour. This triggers the fight-or-flight response meaning frequent adrenaline highs (butterflies in the stomach) and preventing wind-down at night which means really shitty sleeps—compounding everything.

My D&A causes me body/self image issues. Those who know me casually or professionally would likely say I am a confident, self-assured person holding my head up high, but in reality I have simply mastered the ability to project this image, or mask, or ‘gloss’. It’s what people expect—they don’t want to know what’s going on under the surface... and rightfully so, they have their own things to deal with.

In my own words:

• Self image: When you can’t see yourself the way other people see you.
• Narcissism: Seeking approval from others for your appearance, then hating yourself for doing it, then doing it again, over and over.

I fight with my self image every day. At its best it might be wishing I didn’t have dark circles around my eyes—at worst it’s coming to a realisation that other people love me more than I love myself. At the same time I recognise how stupid and illogical it is to suffer from this ridiculous condition.

Like a lot of people, I post far too many selfies of myself (aka gpoys, headshots etc). There is something oddly comforting about having people on Facebook or Instagram say nice things said about you and it gives a ‘quick fix’ to self image problems. However, it’s like opening Pandora’s box—do it once, and you want to relive the ‘high’ of the experience, so you do it again. My D&A then causes me to worry: “What if the next time no one likes the photo?”

Selfies allow so much control through lighting and angles that they are really an idealised image of one’s self. They give you the ability to present what, in your mind, is the perfect image of yourself—but they are not how other people see you. In essence, they are frauds—everyone knows this. So they don’t actually help improve self image issues in the long run.

Seeing yourself through someone else’s eyes, however, does help.

The photos at the end of this post were taken by one of my closest friends Andy, who has little photographic experience. I knew he was taking them but not *when* he was going to start snapping away, so there is an element of candidness—they are not posed. As a photographer, I know when people pose, they are attempting to form themselves into what they believe is their best look—facial expression, posture, angle etc—but this is almost never the case.

These are rare photos I can look at and not pick myself apart so much—I feel like I look a confident and sorted person for once, and I feel good about myself. I believe changing my appearance by growing out my beard to the ‘big’ stage has played a part as well. The picking is still there a little bit, bubbling away just below the surface—my shirt is one or two sizes larger than it should be, my beanie is turned up on one edge, I have sweat marks where my camera bag’s padded strap was pressing my shirt onto my skin (we’d just briskly walked more than 10 miles). Nevertheless, this is a huge step forward for me.

I completely understand that self/body image issues are ‘only in my mind’—yet I can’t stop it. Others may look at the photos and think ‘how could this person have body image issues’, or ‘he looks intimidating, I wouldn’t want to run into him in a dark alley’, or ‘he looks cuddly’, or ‘what a bruiser’—everyone applies their own preferences, tastes and biases to photos.

But for once, I’m ok with my appearance... ok that my Nordic/Viking genes have made me a barrel-chested, stocky-built person... ok that my Mediterranean genes have given me dark circles around my eyes... ok with the person I’ve become after 40 long years on this earth. And that makes today a good day.

One step at a time. For the minute I’ve moved forward with my self image—next is to move a step forward with my D&A. When my grandmother’s time comes, the funeral will help provide closure to that particular source of D&A. Spring is coming which means trips out to the byways on my bikes—one of my favourite ways of distancing myself from my troubles. Motorbiking requires 100% concentration—no time to dwell on other things.

I think the most effective way to deal with D&A is to believe that you will come through it. This
empowers you to make the changes required to choose to be a happier person. For some people that means changing a job or school, moving to a different city, removing the negativity from their lives. For others it is distracting themselves with activities they enjoy and not allowing themselves to get bored to the point that the D&A resurfaces. Everyone is different and there is no single answer.

Once things get better again—and they will get better—I will be in a good place to make regular blog entries again. Right now I’m taking some much-needed ‘me’ time. Until then, I continue to appreciate all the people who have read and commented on my past entries and hope to welcome you back soon. As always I will be monitoring and replying to comments, and I would be particularly grateful for your thoughts on this entry.

As a final note, thank you to Leslie from Advgrrl for encouraging me to publicly post this entry in the hopes that others may find benefit in reading it.

George
x

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Radio silence... and a slightly more personal post

It’s been a while since I posted an update and, well, there is little reason other than I haven’t had many opportunities to get out on the bike.

Ok, it was a crazy Christmas at work with a huge number of events I was helping to organise, photographing or just providing a helping hand. I prefer to keep my work life completely separate from my blog, but I will say it involves communications design in a healthcare setting.

How I was feeling by the time Christmas was over...

Last week I got word that my 93 year old grandmother had fallen seriously ill with pneumonia and was rushed to hospital—the doctors believed there was little chance she would survive more than a couple days. Unfortunately she lives halfway around the world near Vancouver BC and, while I speak with her regularly on the phone, I don’t often get to see her.

Within 24 hours I was at her bedside and had a chance to visit her three times. I was only away for four days, after which I promptly came down sick as a dog with a nasty, bastard cold, exactly 48 hours after my flight home (which so happens to be the incubation period of the cold virus).

Me with my grandmother—strong enough to prove the doctors wrong!

There was a silver lining, however. Four days after I saw her, she pulled through against the odds and is now back at home. And although it was a short visit, I did get a chance to visit with friends I rarely get to see.

I need to vent a bit, so back to Vancouver. I lived there for many years before London and it has, of course, changed a lot since I left more than a decade ago.

The flight over was actually a pleasure. I had three seats to myself and could lie down almost like being in bed for much of the flight. The flight crew were literally the best I can ever remember—friendly, efficient and professional, and genuinely happy to supply all the drinks and snacks I wanted during the flight. Well done Air Canada—credit where it’s due.

Sleeper seats at economy prices

I arrived on a rainy Friday afternoon and took the train to downtown Vancouver to collect my hire car before driving to my parent’s home just outside the city.

Yaletown in the late afternoon, 45 minutes after the plane landed—the train from the airport is efficient

I prefer not to drive after being awake for 20 hours, especially swapping from right hand drive to left hand drive, but timeliness was essential. It turned out I had to drive in the worst rainstorm in recent memory—it was raining so hard I couldn’t see the lines on the road. Thankfully I made it without incident and after a short visit with my parents I went straight to bed.

The next morning I was up early due to the jet lag and decided to have a drive around. I found myself somewhat disappointed that nearly all my connections from the past were either gone or changed—places I used to visit with my friends, cornerstones of my previous life there.

Jet lag kicked in

One coffee shop in particular was still there so I thought I would pop my head in and see if the same people owned the place. Once inside, there were only two customers (it was once busting at the seams each day) and a woman at the counter. The conversation went like this:

Me: “Hello, I’m visiting from abroad and used to come here all the time years ago—I was wondering if the ------s still own the shop?”

Woman: “I don’t know who that is.”

Me: “Oh right? They were the people who opened the shop in the mid-90s. I did the logo for them back then.”

Woman: “We aren’t looking for anyone to change the logo.”

Me: “I have no interest in changing the logo, I only mentioned it. Is the owner here?”

Woman: “Yes.”

Me: “May I speak to the owner?”

Woman: “No.”

Me (with disbelief): “Sorry? Why not?”

Woman: “The owner is my husband.”

Me: “Right? Why can’t I speak to him?”

Woman: “You’re not speaking to the owner.”

Me: “Right. It’s slightly disappointing that you’re being so obstructive. And for what? I’m simply trying to reconnect with people I knew years ago. But you’re going out of your way to be abrasive—it’s no surprise the place is empty.”

I turned and walked out while she looked at me like I’d done a shit in my hat. Needless to say this was the start of a downward spiral of realisation that this was no longer ‘home’. I visited a few other old haunts and, while everyone else I spoke to was much more amicable and helpful, everyone had moved on to new things.

I had no expectation that things would be the same as they were more than 10 years ago, but I also didn’t expect there to be absolutely no connections left.

Family reunion, sadly not under the best circumstances

I managed to catch up for dinner with my friend Christina, one of my closest friends from my past. I also had coffee with friends who drove out to see me. Getting back together for those few hours made things feel like old times again.

Admittedly I was emotionally compromised due to the circumstances of my visit, but adding to the gloom was the non-stop rain.

Non-stop rain

I left my parent’s house in the late afternoon the day before I was due to fly back to London so I could stay in downtown Vancouver my friend Jason and not have to rush the next day to catch my flight. Along the way I met up with my cousin and his fiancé for a quick coffee. I returned the car, which was conveniently about 4 blocks from my friend’s building, and walked over.

With my very longtime friend Jason—we’re wearing the whole 40s thing!

Jason lives on a fairly high floor right in the city centre, and the panoramic views of the city were amazing. After ordering in dinner we managed to get out for a couple pints with my friend Tristan.

The next morning I woke up early again and took a couple of time-lapses of the sunrise.

Looking like a garden gnome thanks to the soft Vancouver water causing beard madness!

After breakfast we went for a walk around the city. Despite the low winter sun, it was warmer than expected at a balmy 12°C.

Looks cold... wasn’t at all.

I repacked my suitcase and started making my way to the airport, with one last stop along the way to meet up with my friend Nick.

With my friend Nick—one of the good ones

I was feeling in much better spirits about the trip by the time I’d got back to the airport, and was sad I had to go home so quickly. My grandmother was defying the doctors and on the mend with the fluid slowly leaving her lungs, I had the opportunity to catch up briefly with family and friends, and after my initial disappointments I had started to embrace the progressions in the places at which I spent so much time during my younger years. The coldness I experienced on my arrival was replaced by the warmth of spending time with friends and family.

Vancouver Airport ranks among the most beautiful airports in the world, with artwork throughout and sections mimicking the rainforests along the west coast. Security was efficient with no fuss.

One of rainforest-inspired gardens in Vancouver Airport

The flight home was just as good, again with three seats on which to lie down and I managed to catch a few winks of sleep. I was also lucky to see the arctic sunrise from 11,000m.

High enough to see the curvature of the earth

I managed to get a time-lapse of the start of the final descent with a loop over Oxfordshire.



Due to congestion at Heathrow the pilot did a loop over London making for some incredible views.

Before Google Earth, this was the only way to see London like this

The landing at Heathrow was flawless, and the flight crew were happy for me to film it (take note EasyJet).



In the days which followed I learned that my grandmother was discharged home as she felt it was better for her recovery. She is not fully recovered by any means, but is making progress. As she lives alone, a carer visits her daily and my family have been checking up on her regularly. Fingers crossed she has a little while longer with us all.

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